Laura found herself prodigiously busy during the coming days. She wasn’t really surprised to have almost as many fittings as Lady Maria. Her new sister was always finding excuses to order more gowns for her. Her aunt fretted over the ball, frequently telling Laura to go over some detail with her. There were also the ton events to attend and to prepare for.
Another unexpected matter that kept Laura occupied was Lord Emsworth’s courtship. The man was enamored of Lady Priscilla. She continued to rebuff him but that did not cool his ardor.
“You must help me, Lady Laura!” Lord Emsworth pleaded. He sought her out at balls and scribbled his name on her dance card and then sat the dance out, pouring his woes into her reluctant ears.
And yet, the Duke of Wimberley was not very far from her thoughts. She wondered whether Mary Jane had found comfort with the doll. Laura knew she could ask her brother for news about Anthony. But she feared her expression would give away her secret. Gareth would know she had feelings for the duke. It would be embarrassing to be found out when the object of her affections viewed her as little more than a child.
During the long wakeful hours, Laura had come to realize it was too late to remove Anthony from her heart. She didn’t want to love him but she did.
Authors who penned novels about love knew nothing of the sentiment, she concluded. Heroines in her novels glowed when they were in love. They hummed. They found the world a better place. But love wasn’t like that. It hurt and made her weep into her pillow. She grew pale. She was incapable of finding enjoyment in even the most pleasurable of pursuits.
Love was a nasty business and she wished she could be rid of it.
***
In spite of being held at short notice, the Daventon Ball was well attended. The tastefully decorated ballroom was a pleasant change from the themed parties in vogue.
As the guests began to arrive and the hall filled up, Laura had no time to think about Anthony. This was their own ball! Her mother and aunt looked happy and proud. And Gareth and Lady Maria made a stunning couple. They were well matched in looks. Anyone could tell they were deeply in love. Though they stood side by side receiving guests, they seemed to be connected by an invisible bond. Gareth’s hand often rested on Lady Maria’s back, and Lady Maria’s gloved hand was mostly on her betrothed’s arm. More than anything, the look on their faces proclaimed their love.
When the dancing commenced, Lady Maria insisted that Gareth partner his sister for the first dance. Laura was surprised, and touched. Her other partners were handpicked by Lady Maria. Two dukes and three earls. Poor Mr. Bennet and Lord Newington didn’t stand a chance.
As usual, Laura did not waltz. She had not yet the permission of the patronesses of Almack to waltz. If she was interested, Lady Maria would have arranged for her to waltz. More and more debutantes were obtaining permission to dance it.
But Laura didn't fancy being held by her partners. If it was Mr. Bennett, his perfume would make her swoon, she was sure. She knew the steps. And dreamed of having Anthony as her partner. No one else would do. It was the dance of love.
Lady Priscilla didn’t waltz either. Her father had forbidden it.
“I want to see the fountain in your garden. I had a glimpse of the statuary as we came in. I want to view it from close,” Lady Priscilla said, as soon as the waltz was announced.
Laura knew the fountain was an excuse to talk to her. She wondered why. She saw Lord Emsworth making his way to her. When he saw Lady Priscilla, he stopped and stared. Laura knew, he had told her, that Lady Priscilla’s beauty and poise made him incapable of speech. Priscilla swept past her besotted admirer and Laura followed, after giving Lord Emsworth a reassuring smile.
When they were outside and out of earshot, Lady Priscilla laughed. “I’ve caught him, don’t you think?”
“Lord Emsworth?”
“Who else? His father is ailing, I believe, and not expected to live long. He’ll inherit within a year. Do you know their estates are among the most prosperous in Kent?”
“I don’t understand.”
“What’s there not to understand! From the first, I decided to have him offer for me! I was not the only one who wanted to snare him.”
“I thought you held him in disdain.”
“It worked, didn’t it? Everyone else was fawning over him. Not you. He talks to you only because you’re my friend. When we go back inside, you must tell him that my father is in a hurry to marry me off to an older man. Tell him I’m so desperate I’ll accept any offer as long as it is from someone closer to my age.”
Laura managed to hide her feeling of distaste and let Priscilla prattle on about her ‘conquest’. If a beautiful young woman from a wealthy titled family sunk so low to marry well, what subterfuge did the less fortunate apply?
Ten days later they left London. The Season was coming to an end. Some of the young women, Lady Priscilla among them, had made advantageous matches. Many would return the next year, more determined, more desperate.